Hunter
08/22/24
The Iowa City City Council approved a new ordinance that will allow the Parking Department to use automated license plate readers in city parking ramps and on certain city parking enforcement vehicles.
The change was necessary due to a previous council approving protections against the use of plate readers and automatic traffic surveillance systems.
The Press-Citizen reports the ordinance was passed and adopted into Iowa City code by a narrow 4-3 vote by the Iowa City City Council on Tuesday. Councilors Andrew Dunn, Laura Bergus, and Mazahir Salih voted “no,” despite the council unanimously adopting Dunn’s changes prior to the final reading and vote to the surprise of some councilmembers.
Recently installed cameras are equipped with plate reading technology in three of the city’s ramps. Cameras had already been installed in the ungated ramps at Chauncey Swan and Harrison Street but have not been activated.
Associate Director of Transportation Mark Rummel figures the technology will save the division an hour of manpower per ramp per day.
Once activated, drivers with city parking permits won’t need a physical tag hanging from the rear-view mirrors anymore.
Additionally, the city’s traffic cameras are exempt from the protections, as they are used to investigate damaged or malfunctioning traffic signals. The current ordinance restricts the city from storing, selling or compiling data from the plate cameras and traffic cameras unless it pertains to a criminal violation that leads to a ticket or an arrest.